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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. spring — a coil
  4. spring — of water
  5. stem — to come from
  6. mate — to breed
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. charge — in control
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. charge — electricity
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. charge — a price
  15. saw — the tool
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. mate — a friend
  18. saw — the tool
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. mate — a partner
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. spring — the season

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com